There is no single number that fits every kitchen. The right interval is set by your trap size and how much fat your kitchen produces — guided by the industry "1/4 rule" and what Dubai Municipality expects to see at inspection. Here is how to work it out for Dubai, Sharjah & Ajman.
Frequency follows fill rate, not the calendar. The widely cited engineering standard is the "1/4 rule".
A grease trap works by letting fats float and solids settle so only clean water passes to the drain. Once the combined grease-and-solids layer reaches about 25% of the trap's liquid depth or capacity, separation breaks down and grease starts escaping into your drain line. That 25% mark is the trigger to clean — a level you should stay under, not exceed.
Because every kitchen fills its trap at a different rate, the only reliable way to set a schedule is to measure the grease and solids layer over a few visits and pump just before it hits the quarter mark.
Use these as starting points only — actual frequency varies by trap size, menu and kitchen volume, and is confirmed by measuring the fill rate.
Cafes, small outlets and low-volume kitchens. These fill fast relative to their capacity and are commonly serviced up to about four times a month. Light coffee-and-snack outlets may need less; high-grease ones need more.
Mid-size restaurants. Most active commercial kitchens fall in the every 30 to 90 days band, with busy, high-frying kitchens trending towards monthly to fortnightly service.
Hotels, malls, labour camps and FM-managed sites. Larger capacity buys more time between visits — roughly twice a month for high-load sites — but the bigger volume means each pump-out is a planned, equipment-heavy job.
Fried-chicken, shawarma and grill concepts push far more fats, oils and grease per cover. Whatever the trap size, expect the shorter end of its range — frequently monthly or fortnightly.
Ramadan, peak-season covers and catering surges raise FOG output sharply. A schedule set for a quiet month can fall behind, so frequency should step up during known busy periods.
These ranges are indicative, drawn from Dubai operators and the 1/4 rule — not a fixed legal interval. Your real frequency is whatever keeps the trap under 25% between visits.
Under Local Order No. 8 of 2002, food establishments must fit compliant grease traps before connecting to the public sewer and keep them properly maintained.
Rather than one universal interval, the cleaning frequency is determined by your trap size and fats, oils and grease output — exactly what the 1/4 rule helps you size.
You are expected to keep dated service records so an inspector at licence application, renewal or a routine check can verify the trap is being maintained.
Discharging untreated fats, oils and grease into the public network is prohibited — a failed or overflowing trap is therefore a compliance problem, not just a smell.
It is tempting to space visits out to cut cost, but an under-cleaned trap fails at the worst moment — mid-service. Once grease passes the 25% mark it migrates into the drain line, where it hardens and chokes flow. The result is slow drains, foul odours and, eventually, a backed-up kitchen that may have to stop serving.
An emergency, after-hours pump-out typically costs two to three times a scheduled visit, and a routine maintenance contract usually trims roughly 20–30% off the per-visit price versus ad-hoc calls. So the cheapest trap to run is the one cleaned on time — see our cost guide for indicative ranges in AED.
For the full legal picture, read our Dubai Municipality regulations guide, or browse our services to set up a schedule.
There is no single fixed interval for every kitchen. The industry standard is the 1/4 rule: clean the trap before accumulated fats, oils, grease and solids reach about 25% of its liquid depth. In practice most active commercial kitchens in Dubai are serviced every 30 to 90 days, high-volume frying kitchens monthly to fortnightly, and small under-sink units up to about four times a month. Frequency varies by trap size and kitchen usage.
The 1/4 rule means a grease trap should be pumped once the combined layer of floating grease and settled solids reaches roughly 25% of the trap's total liquid depth or capacity. Beyond that point the trap can no longer separate fats effectively and grease begins passing into the drain line, so 25% is the trigger to clean rather than a level to exceed.
Dubai Municipality requires food establishments to keep grease traps installed and properly maintained, and may inspect them at licence application, renewal or routine checks. The frequency is determined per establishment based on trap size and fats, oils and grease output rather than a single universal interval — though Dubai Municipality guidance commonly references a baseline of roughly twice-monthly cleaning for larger traps (and weekly for small under-sink units), and you are expected to keep dated service records as evidence.
Neglected traps overflow, produce foul odours and back up kitchen drains, which can force a temporary closure during service. Discharging untreated fats, oils and grease into the public sewer is prohibited, so a failed trap also creates a compliance risk at inspection. Emergency pump-outs typically cost two to three times a scheduled visit, so under-cleaning usually costs more than it saves.
Clean immediately, regardless of schedule, if you notice slow drainage, gurgling, a foul sewage or rancid smell near the kitchen, grease visible at the trap lid, or any backing up. These are signs the trap has passed the 1/4 level. We can also measure the grease and solids layer on each visit and adjust your schedule so it never reaches that point.
Tell us your kitchen type and trap size — we'll measure the fill rate, recommend a compliant frequency and keep a dated record of every visit across Dubai, Sharjah & Ajman.